dele/dela/deles/delas

Clarifying Seu/Sua with De

Level 2

In Portuguese, the word seu/sua can mean 'his', 'her', 'their', or 'your'. To avoid confusion, speakers use dele (his), dela (her), deles (their, masc.), and delas (their, fem.) after the noun.

How It Works

The forms dele, dela, deles, and delas are contractions of the preposition de (of) and the subject pronouns (ele, ela, eles, elas).

1. Disambiguation:
In everyday speech, especially in Brazil, seu/sua is almost always understood as 'your'. To say 'his car' without confusion, use o carro dele. Note that in formal European Portuguese, seu/sua is still frequently used for 'his/her'.

2. Agreement Rule:
Unlike possessive adjectives, these forms agree with the owner, not the object possessed:

  • O carro dela (The car is masculine, but the owner is female).
  • A casa dele (The house is feminine, but the owner is male).

3. Referring to 'Its':
Portuguese does not have a specific word for 'its'. Use dele or dela based on the gender of the object or animal you are referring to (e.g., a mesa... as pernas dela).

4. Word Order and Articles:
These forms follow the noun. While you usually include the definite article before the noun (o livro dele), the article is typically omitted when the possessive acts as a predicate after the verb ser (Este livro é dele).

Examples (6)

  1. Eu vi o carro dele na rua.

    I saw his car on the street.

    Word by Word: I saw the car of-him on-the street.

    Using 'dele' clarifies that the car belongs to 'him' and not to 'you'.

  2. A bolsa dela é muito bonita.

    Her purse is very beautiful.

    Word by Word: The purse of-her is very beautiful.

    Notice that 'dela' is used because the owner is female, even though 'bolsa' is a feminine noun.

  3. Nós conhecemos os pais deles.

    We know their parents.

    Word by Word: We know the parents of-them.

    'Deles' is the plural masculine form, used for a group of men or a mixed-gender group of owners.

  4. Este livro é dele.

    This book is his.

    Word by Word: This book is of-him.

    When the possessive follows the verb 'ser', the definite article is usually omitted.

  5. A mesa e as pernas dela.

    The table and its legs.

    Word by Word: The table and the legs of-her.

    Portuguese uses 'dele/dela' to mean 'its' when referring to objects or animals.

  6. Onde estão as chaves delas?

    Where are their keys?

    Word by Word: Where are the keys of-them (fem)?

    'Delas' indicates the owners are a group of women.

Common Mistakes

  • Placing 'dele/dela' before the noun.

    Eu vi dele carro.
    Eu vi o carro dele.

    Unlike 'meu' or 'seu', these contracted forms must always follow the noun.

  • Matching the gender of 'dele/dela' to the object instead of the owner.

    A casa dela (referring to a man's house).
    A casa dele (referring to a man's house).

    The gender of 'dele/dela' must match the person who owns the item, not the item itself.

  • Using 'seu' to mean 'his' in a conversation, causing confusion.

    Como vai o seu pai? (meaning 'his' father)
    Como vai o pai dele?

    In most spoken Portuguese, 'seu pai' will be heard as 'your father'. Use 'dele' to be specific about 'his'.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

dele/dela/deles/delasLevel 2Clarifying Seu/Sua with De

Learn This First

To understand 'dele/dela', you first need to know the third-person subject pronouns (ele/ela) and how the preposition 'de' contracts with other words. It is also essential to understand the ambiguity of the possessive 'seu/sua' to know when and why to use these alternative forms for clarity.

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Words in This Pattern

deledeladelesdelas